Page 4

ISABELLA

peel my eyes open slowly, still feeling tired. I must’ve had another bad dream. They always make me feel exhausted. Someone is always chasing me, but I can never remember who or what they want.

Turning my head, I find Jacob lying on the other side of the bed. His arm is extended, and hishand is wrapped around mine. I blink. I should pull away, but I like the way his warmth feels against my skin, so I don’t move. Instead, I watch his sleeping face from an arm’s length. His dirty blonds are messily spread over his brows, but he still looks so handsome.

The white sleep shirt lost a few buttons, exposing his chest. Gods, his muscles are tight. My body heats up, and I swallow a lump as I find myself wishing I could touch him. He is a halfling of all things. Yet, he is so gentle and kind. I’ve only heard of beings like him in stories. According to records and gossip, there has not been a halfling born for at least a century.

I should’ve run when I found out. He is dangerous. But he asked for my help, so I stayed. If he needs me, I can use that to get his assistance. With his power, I will be practically untouchable.

He stirs a little, my eyes go wide, and I snatch my hand away from his. With his eyes still closed, his eyebrows scrunch, and he pats the place where my hand was.

He is looking for my hand. My chest swells at the thought. Why?

With a grunt, he moves a little more, so I shut my eyes, pretending to sleep. He can't know I was watching him; that would be embarrassing. He sighs – as if relieved about something, but my heart is hammering in my chest. I almost got caught gawking at him.

A stray strand of my hair that never wants to stay in place falls on my face, tickling my skin, and I have to restrain myself from wrinkling my nose. The mattress moves a little, and I am relieved that I get to itch my face soon, but his fingertips brush against my cheek. I almost shudder at the touch.

Oh, dear saints. My chest flutters when he tucks my hair behind my ear.

Because Jacob bought me breakfast – ham and eggs – my tummy is full, and I couldn’t be happier. Even though I had a good meal previously, I have a buttery biscuit in my hand as we walk towards the forest. The green trees welcome us into their embrace, and maybe there is a small part of me that is still thinking about the way he held my hand in the morning. Maybe I cannot get his touch out of my mind. Stupidly, his delicate actions make me smile.

I am a foolish girl. He is a halfling, and I am a vampire. Vampires are hated by all the other kind; we are violent and bloodthirsty. For the most part, the stereotype is not true. There are people like my father who give us a bad reputation. As halflings, on the other hand, are feared out of respect; they are a powerful rarity. Nothing can come of this. Whatever this is. But I like the way he treats me. Delicately, politely, and respectfully.

“So, which way are we going?” he asks and looks down at me.

I am tall, but he still towers over me. I tilt my head to look at him. It’s still baffling that a being like him is so easygoing.

“We follow the trail for about a day, then we will camp by the river. In the morning, I will tell you a little more,” I say, and I look ahead at the thickening brush.

“Are there bears by the river?” He chuckles.

Bears?

I remember it being dark when my father’s men took me to the witches. It was quiet, besides the sound of flowing water and soft wind. Unwanted memories rush in, but I stop the images and tuck them away again. I don’t need them. I read about the forest in history books and encyclopedias. Bears are not common there. The area has not had any for over two hundred years.

“No bears, maybe wolves though,” I tell him, losing interest in my strawberry-filled biscuit.

Memories are coming back. I hate them. I worked too hard to forget that week of my nineteenth birthday.

It is dark, we have a fire going for warmth, and the river lazily flows behind us, reminding me of that night. I lay on the ground, curled up into a ball, staring at the grass and the fallen leaves on the forest floor. My father’s men chatted, but I heard nothing. Feeling numb, I didn’t care that they were taking me to the witches. I hate that day. I worked so hard to forget it, and I did – for the most part. This trip is forcing them to surface. I can’t let that happen. I will not let those few days ruin the rest of my life.

My last birthday does not define me. It was not my fault .

I shiver. Terrible things happened, but I chose to forget them. No, I didn’t choose, I made myself forget. I read and read, filling my mind with information about bugs, leaves, and animals until I no longer remembered that day. Unfortunately, my dreams do not want to listen to me. Those monsters still find a way to terrorize me.

“Are you cold?” Jacob asks, leaning his back against a thick trunk of an oak.

I look up at his sitting form. His legs stretched out in front of him, the flames dancing on his face.

He is stunning . A thought passes through my mind before I realize it has invaded my brain.

“A little.” I lie and look down at the fire.

Lies make me feel dirty, but I do not want to talk about the things that scare me. Plus, what does it matter? We will not know each other for much longer. I will help him with the witches, and he will help me get on the ships. He is powerful enough to keep me safe from my father. That’s all that matters.

“Come.” He spreads his arms, encouraging me into his embrace with a warm smile.

The simple gesture makes me pause. The strong arms and shoulders are a welcoming sight, and they look like they could protect me from the world. I find myself craving to be held by him, but should I let him be my comfort if we’ll soon part ways?

“I am very warm, being a halfling and all, and I don’t bite.” He grins, his muscular arms still extended.

Shamelessly, I let my eyes flicker from his biceps peeking from under the brown shirt to his face. It’s okay to enjoy his company even if it’s for a little bit. Slowly, I get up and walk around the fire, heat suddenly creeping to my cheeks. I will be sitting between his legs, his arms around me, and his body snug against mine.

Playing with the inside of my cheek, I lower myself in front of him, unsure how close I am allowed to get. My rear end touches the ground, and his arms wrap around me, engulfing me completely, and he pulls me flush against his skin.

Dear God. My heartbeat escalates at the warmth and strength behind me. Halflings have super hearing ability. Can he hear my heart hammering against my chest? With his arms around my waist loosely, he leans his head against the tree. Heat radiates to my back, and suddenly, my muscles relax, and my eyes feel heavy.

“Sleep well,” he mumbles, his voice drowsy.

Slowly, I turn my head and look at him from under my lashes. His eyes are closed, and he seems to be drifting off, but I watch the sharp edges of his jaw and the soft curves of his thin lips. He is perfect in every way.

Maybe someday, I will find a man like him to love me. I don’t think I will. For me to find love, I would have to share my heart. How can I be honest with someone else if I can’t even do that with myself? I have been deemed unworthy of love. I feel it deep inside. Something tells me I am dirty and disgusting.

The memories haunt me, and I wish I were strong enough to face them.

The moon is just a sliver, halfway covered by thick, dark clouds. It is always dark in my nightmares. I may not remember what haunts me in my dreams when I am awake, but when I am here, it all comes back to me. I already know there are monsters lurking behind the silhouettes of the black, bare trees.

It’s just a dream . I remind myself. It never helps. Panic quickly settles, making my heart race and my palms sweat.

My eyes wide, I frantically search for a way out, but I am surrounded by walls of shadows and dead trees. I won’t escape – I never can – but every time, I try. With a dry throat, breathing becomes hard. Large, red, and glowing slits for eyes appear. They blink all around me, watching me, getting ready to tear me to shreds. And they will – they always do.

I want to run, but there is nowhere to go. Whimpering, I brace myself for the pain. There is nothing I can do but scream and cry. A growl echoes somewhere in the space, and dark, thin shapes show themselves, their white, sharp teeth coming out. My chest aches. I am trapped.

Gasping, I try to scream as loud as I can.

“ It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you.” There is a faint whisper far away. I jerk my head around, looking for the sound. The voice is soft, kind, and soothing. “The monsters can’t get to you with me around.”

The figures around me stop advancing, their bodies fading and eyes frantically blinking. They shriek as they attempt to gnaw their way to me, but an invisible force is sucking them into the void. I don’t understand what is happening, but hope blossoms as I look around for the powerful source.

I can breathe again. A calmness I have never felt before settles into my chest, making everything feel okay.

“There you go. You’re okay.” The voice is far away, but there is a hot gush of wind next to my ear. It is comforting and beautiful, so I close my eyes for just a second and turn to the sound.

There is no one next to me, but the monsters are no longer there. Gone. Rays of sunshine replace the darkness, and vibrant green leaves grow on the once lifeless trees. I turn to look around the forest. Black vanishes, and bright colors replace it. Flowers bloom, birds chirp, and sunshine warms my face.

It is so beautiful here that my heart swells. Smiling, I twirl.

“I’ve got you, baby.”

Something delicate lands on my shoulders, causing me to spin around. Hundreds of butterflies surround me, their colors filling the space. Joy and awe fill my heart at the sight of them, so I twirl and twist, getting lost in the flutter of their wings. This feels so wonderful that I wantto capture it forever.

Never have I had a dream as beautiful as this.